Fishing reel



W. C. HANSE FISHING REEL Sepi. 15,1953

Filed June 7. .1950

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. www. @514m W. C. HANSE FISHING REEL Sept. l5,1953 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

Filed June '7, 1950 INI/EN TOR.

Patented Sept. 1.5, 195.? 1

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FISHING REEL William C. Hanse, Philadelphia,Pa. Application June 7, 1950, Serial No. 166,647 8 Claims. v(Cl.242-84.4) This invention relates to fishing reels and more sand or otherabrasive material so as to reduce particularly to casting reels whichare pivotable ear and to extend the service life of the reel. Withrespect to the rods on which they are Stlll another object is to providea winding mechmounted. anism for the reel having preferably, except forIn casting reels of the type in general use, necessary modifications,the basic construction the iis ing line is stored on a spool sosupported and advantageous features found in winding that its axis ofrotation extends crosswise of mechanisms of conventional reels of thetype line stored thereon to control the rotation of of the invention andthe drawing relating there the spool as desired. Considerable skill isreto in which quired in regulating the pressure of the thumb Fig. 1 isan elevation view in winding position P of a reel according to theinvention mounted running of the spool, a behavior known as bac1 zl" ona shing rod that is shown in cross Section;

lashing. Even then, those experienced in cast- Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the reel as shown ing practice occasionally make casts inwhich in Fig. 1,'

the lines become tangled as a result of back- Fig. 3 is a fragmentarypictorial view of a lashing. portion of the reel in the windingposition;

To overcome this difl'iculty, various reels of 20 Fig. 4 is afragmentary view of a portion of the prior art provide spools which areeither the reel in the casting position;

permanently aligned on an axis parallel with Fig. 5 is a Section Viewtaken along line V-V the rod or they may be rotated into such an of Fig.1 illustrating the winding mechanism of axial alignment to permitdischarge of the fishthe reel; and

ing line from the end of the spool during cast- Fie. 6 is a Section viewof a portion of the reel ing. If the line leaves the spool freely,accurate taken along line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

casting may be accomplished without the need In brief, a casting reel inaccordance with for much skill and experience. However, when the presentinvention comprises a support base long casts are to be made, such asare often adapting the reel for attachment to a .shing desired insurf-casting, it is necessary to provide rod, the cage pivotablysupported on the base, a spool on which a considerable length of the anda line-storage spool rotatably supported or more of line, it isnecessary that the line be from the spool through the open end of thethe line upon the spool in an orderly arrange- Fig 1 illustrates a cage8 of a fishing reel ment, preferably 1n concentric layers of parallelaccording to the invention pivotably mounted in windings It 1s also anobJect to provide a castturn-table arrangement on a base 9. The base ingreel that can be quickly adjusted to winding 9 is secured to aconventional fishing rod l0 by position or casting position and can alsobe denuts or rings Il and Ila, which may be screwed tachably mounted ona casting reel of conveninto overlapping relationship with element |301"and readily separable from the rod on which extending from the basethrough the turn-table be separated to render them more adaptable toflat surface Whichslidably and rotatably engages storage or packaging.It is, furthermore, an the upper flat surface of the turn-table plateobject to provide a reel of which the winding l5 of the base 9. The reelis shown in the windmechanism is effectively enclosed to keep out ingposition in Figs. l and 2 wherein the one position to shaft l1 isaligned in a direction transversely of the rod l0. The reel, however, isinstantly adjustable to a position in which the cage 8 is rotated 90degrees relative to its winding position to a casting position in whichthe axis of the shaft l1 is aligned in a direction parallel with the rodl0. The reel is secured in either position by the engagement of a latchwhich is swingable in a direction indicated by the double-headed arcuatearrow 2|, with notches 23 in the periphery of the plate I4. The latch issupported on a lever 22 which is pivotably secured to the base at 24. Aspring 25 urges the lever upward for positive engagement of the latchwith the plate I4. The lever 2,2 may be manipulated with the thumb ofthe hand in which the rod is gripped.

With the reel adjusted with respect to the rod iii in the windingposition as shown in Figs. l and 2, the winding scribed may be operatedto store the line '3B on the reel 32. As the winding mechanism yisdriven by revolving a crank 3E, 'thefspo'ol 32 'turns and a line-guide33 reciprocates lin the direction indicated by the double-headed arrow'3E as .a result of the reverse-threaded screw S5' being in engagementwith a pawl or thread-following element on which the .guide 33 ismounted. The end 36 of the guide 33 follows a .groove 31 of a `cross bar39 of the cage '8 to .give 'the guide lgreater stability whiletraversing its reciprocal ambit. Driving relationship between the screw135 and spool shaft il is obtained, as shown in Fig."5, by engagement ofa gear d3., .mounted on the end portion of the screw, with ,an it inmesh also with the gear "J9 of .the spool shaft. By operation of .the.guide reciprocating mechanism in synchronism of a spool with therotation of shaft Il, such as provided by the winding mech# anism housedin a .cap T32 covering one end of the cage, the line Y may be rstored ona reel 32 in orderly concentric layers .of windings. "This feature incombination with the feature of 'being able to rotate the vreel into vacasting position for discharging of the line from the end vof 'the spoolmakes the reel of the invention particularly adaptable to the type offishing known as surfoasting in which it Iis desirable to Yuse and vtostore on the reel comparatively great lengths of line, particularly whencasting is to be done at high tide.

To adjust the reel 'for casting position, the line te is manuallytransferred through the split portion of the guide 3'3 at 3'8 asAillustrated in ghost outline in Fig. 3 and slipped around a 'flexiblewire guard'l and through an open section 'llt of the cage ring lll. lTheline 3 may then be pulled off the end of the spool 32 in 'the directionof the arrows as shown in Fig. 4. When 'the reel is returned to thewinding position, the transfer of the line through the cage ring E1 intothe guide '33 may be effected in a manner reverse to that justdescribed. By manipulation of the turn-table latch and transferring 'theline from fi, the reel may be adjusted from winding position to castingposition, or vice versa, almost instantly.

However, to provide a reel for delivering line from one end of thestorage spool, 'it is necessary to support lthe shaft 'I1 at or adjacentone end since one of the two bearings used at the ends of the cage ofconventional reels to support the spool shaft is eliminated. Fishingreels vhaving a spool shaft supported at one endonly are common amongthe prior art devices which, 'howmechanism hereinafter deintermediategear the other .as shown in Figs. 3 and l ever, avoid the complexproblem of supporting the spool shaft at one end while providing windingand guide-traversing mechanism.- The problern is particularly acute ifthe spool is to have sufficient length to provide the capacity forstoring a long casting line. In the reel of the present invention, amplebearing support is provided for a spool shaft unsupported at one end topermit endwise delivery of the line, the shaft being in driverelationship with the winding and reciprocable-guide mechanisms.

fn accordance with the present invention, the unsupported end of shaftIl is stabilized or prevented from eccentric movement by providing abearing support for the shaft at both sides of the portion ef the shaftin drive relationship with the winding mechanism contained within thecap d2. In the reel illustrated, a bearing 50 is mounted in the cap c2which corresponds to a similar bearing found in .reels of known design.However, additional 'bearing support is given the shaft ii by an annularvplate-like Vbearingn'rember 52 which has a 'flange 53 'adapting theplate to be secured tightly by fasteners such as 'screws or bolts totheouter circumferential margin '54 of the cap 4Z. A radially inwardlyextending flange or hub portion 69 engages the shaft |"l in bearingrelationship. Whenthe reel iszassembled, the flange 53 is secured firmlybetween the "cap and the ring 55 of the cage "8.

The bearing member 52, being 4apertured only for extension therethroughof 'fasteners,the"shaft il, etc., in cooperation `with the .cap c2effectively encloses the gears of the winding mechanism housed betweenit and the cap l2. The cap/and member Si?. constitute a housingattachedto'th'e cage 3. In conventional reels, the winding mechanism isenclosed by the cap of the reel and the adjacent end of a line-storagespool, leaving a clearance 'between the spool and the cap or a cage ringsecured 'to the cap, through which sand or grit., carried to the reel"by 4the line, may pass into the winding mechanism. In the reel of thepresent invention, there is no analogous clearance through which `dirtparticles may enter the winding mechanism. 'By including a closed typebearing member adjacent the fspool, such as the member 5.2, a vfurtherimportant advantage of the invention is realized, that of extending the`serviceability of a reel 'by keeping the mechanism more freefromabras'ive materials.

A spool 32 on which to store .a fishing `line is secured firmly on theshaft l] by a set screw t2 or other means. As shown, the Ispool isconstructed with a sleeve (ill of brass or other noncorrosive metal toprovide a durable bearing surface between the spool and the end surfaceF5 of member 52. Preferably the end thrust ofthe spool against themember d2 occurs between the sleeve Se and the surface -of the memberrather than, for example, between the :much larger surfaces et of .the.member land .the large end area `of the lspool -32 so that .operation.of `the reel is not unnecessarily `.handicapped .by frictional drag.The spool .32 .is annularlyrecessed from one end to accommodate .acylindrical extension el .of the member cient clearance that the spoolmay rotate without contact with the outer .cylindrical surfacecf theextension. The fiange 39 of the extension serves as .a bearing forradial loads imposedby the shaft and end-thrust toward the yleft'(asviewed in Fig. 6) of the spool 3'2. End-thrust o'f the shaft towardthe right is .opposed 'by engagement of the surface ofthe flange 'E9-facing toward the cap 42 with a collar 68 secured to the shaft I1 by aset screw 83. Thus, the flange 69 in conjunction with the bearing 50constitutes a bearing arrangement for rotatably supporting the shaft I1whereby the shaft may be accurately positioned in a direction lengthwiseof its axis and the unsupported end portion of the shaft may besubjected to force laterally of its axis without excessively loading orstraining any portion of the reel. Access to the set screw 83 may be hadthrough apertures 84 and 85 of the spool and the member 52,respectively. The inner axially-extending surface of the extension 61 ofthe housing member 52 is not only spaced with respect to thecircumference of the shaft I1 but also has clearance, as shown in Fig.6, with the peripheral surface of the end thrust bearing elementenclosed thereby, i. e., the collar 61.

As shown, the reel is provided with a star drag permitting adjustablefrictional drive relationship lbetween the spool shaft I 1 and a shafton which a crank 34 is secured. The star drag is a frictional clutchsystem of which the shaft 19 and a ratchet gear secured thereto areanalogous to a driving member, and a main winding gear 18 rotatablysupported on the shaft corresponds to a driven member of the system. Thedrag device may be adjusted to permit rotation of the spool shaftwithout rotation of the Winding shaft 10 in response to a desired degreeof tension in the line such as produced by a sh. For winding, or whenthe reel is adjusted for paying the line out under tension as whenplaying a fish, the gear 18 is positioned to mesh with a gear 19 securedto the shaft I1 in non-rotatable relationship.

Adjustments in the relative drag between the shafts 18 and I1 areobtained by a clutch arrangement wherein a control member comprisingradial lingers 14, adapting the control member for manual manipulation,may be rotated relative to the shaft 10 on threads 16 thereof against aspring washer 11. The pressure exerted on the washer 11 as a result ofturning the control 14 is transmitted through a sleeve 8I which extendseccentrically within an annular housing 15, and a washer 11a to the leftside of the winding gear 18 which is rotatable with respect to the shaft10. The gear 18 is forced into sidewise frictional contact with theratchet gear 88 which engages a pawl 82 best shown in Fig. 5. The pawl82 is held in constant engagement by a spring 82a with the gear 80 andpermits rotation of the winding shaft 10 in one direction only, i. e.for winding, and in the counter-clockwise direction viewed in Fig. 5.With the lever 14 adjusted to produce friction in the drag device whichresists the discharging of the line from the spool, and with sufficienttension exerted on a. portion of the line extending tangentially fromthe spool 32 to rotate it, the gear 18 turns relative to the shaft whichis held from turning by the pawl 82 in engagement with ratchet gear 80.The gear 18 also turns with respect to the ratchet gear 88 and thewasher 11a which frictionally engage both sides of the gear 18.

If for any reason, it is desired to cast the line by letting it pay outthrough the guide 33 with the spool axis aligned transversely of therod, the winding mechanism may be disengaged from drive relationshipwith the spool shaft by swinging lever 86 in the direction of the arrowto the position 98 shown in ghost outline. The lever -86 pivots on thecap screw 81 which extends through the cap 42 into threaded relationshipwith a peripherally grooved disc element 88. `A pin 89 is secured to theelement `88 and extends through the peripheral groove to act as a camtherein for engaging the end of a spring 98 which urges the lever in oneposition or the other. The pin 89 also extends laterally through a slotS2 in a plate member 83. This member pivots on a bolt 94 which extendsthrough the cap 42, and supports the end of the shaft 18 by extension ofa rivet 96 through the plate into the end portion thereof. Movement ofthe plate about its pivot 94 by shifting the lever 86 carries the gear18 into and out of engagement with the gear 19. By movement of the lever86 to the position 98, the gear 18 is carried out of mesh with the geartation of the spool for a purpose such as casting with the line payingout through the traverse guide.

The reel of the present invention is constructed preferably (as shown inthe drawing) so that it may be attached to standard fishing rods andpackaged for storing or carrying. The reel is constructed so that thedesirable features such as a reciprocating lme guide, winding mechanism,and brake mechanism for retarding tensioning the line being discharged,of a conventional reel having its spool axis extending transversely ofthe portant feature 1s that the pivotable mounting and the splitline-guide and the split cage ring enable the reel to be changed fromthe casting to the winding operations or vice-versa very quickly andwithout the need for relacing the reel.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes and vari-ations may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a casting reel comprising an annular cage,

a winding mechanism in driving relationship with the shaft; incombination therewith a line-storage spool supported on a portion of theshaft exposed within said recess by an axially-protruding portion of themember extending into the recess in spaced relationship, and free fromcontact, with the shaft and the axially-extending surface of the recess,the driving connections of said within the housing and between saidbearings.

2. In a casting reel comprising an annular cage, one end of the cagebeing enclosed by a housing joined thereto comprising an inner membervfacing toward'the page zand an ,outer-member facingaaway .from thecage, a bearing in each member disposed concentrically about the axisofthe cage ,spacedrelationship 'with the bearing of the other member, ashaft `extending coaxially through the -cage and the bearings, `areciprocable line-:guide slidably supported by the cage ffor movement ina direction lengthwise thereof, a winding mechanism in drivingrelationship with `the shaft, mechanism for traversing `the guide indriving relationship with the winding 'mechanism, the drivingconnections of said mechanisms Iand the shaft being disposed entirelywithin the housing; in combination spool supported onraportion oftheshaft extending through the cage and outside the housing having anannular recess concentric to said shaft and extending inwardlyof the:spool from the end thereof adjacent the housing, inner member fbeingdisposed within said -recess by .an axially-'protruding portion of themember extending into the recess `in concentric spaced relationship, andfree from contact, with 'the shaft rand the 4axially-extending surfaceof the recess, .the shaft having a radially-extending thrust-'bearingelement disposed substantially within said axially-protruding memberportion in engagement with the inner surface -of the bear-- ing of theother member.

B.. vIn Ya casting reel comprising an annular cage, one rend of the'cage being enclosed by a housing joined thereto, the housing comprisingan inner vn'iember outer member facing `away kfrom the cage, -a bearingdisposed in each member concentrically about the axis .of the cage inspaced relationship with the bearing'of the other member, a sha-ftextending vcoaxially through the cage land Vbearings, a reciprocableline-'guide slidably supported bythe cage for movement in 'a directionlengthwise thereof, a winding mechanism in driving relationship with theshaft, a reverse screw mechanism for traversing the guide in driverelationship with the winding mechanism, .means disposed Awithin thehousing having `a control disposed exteriorly of the housing fordisengaging the driving connection of the winding mechanism -and theshaft, and brake means disposed within vthe housing having an adjustablecontrol disposed exteriorly of the housing for retarding the rotation ofthe winding mechanism, the driving connections of said .mechanism andthe shaft being disposed entirely Within the hous- Iing and between saidbearings; in combination therewith, a line storage :spool supported on aportion lof the vshaft extending through the cage and outside of thehousing having an annular recess concentric to the shaft and extendinginwardly of the spool from the end thereof adjacent the housing, thebearing of the inner member being disposed within said recess by anaxially-.protruding portion `of the member extending into the recess inconcentric spaced relationship, and free and `the axially-extendingsurface of the recess, the shaft having a radially extending bearingelement disposed at least substantially within lsaid laxially-protrudingmember portion in en- ,gagementwith the innerend surface of the bearingof the inner member.

4. In a casting reel comprising :an annular cage, V'one end of the cagebeing enclosed by a :housing joined thereto, `the 'housing comprising'an .inner member lfacing 'towardthe ycage aand and a reverse screwtherewith, a line-storage j the bearing :of the from contact, with theshaft v `facing 'toward the cage and an l an outer vmember vfacing awayfrom the cage, a bearing disposed in each member concentrically aboutthe axis of the cage in spaced relationship with the bearing of theother member, a shaft extending coaxially through the cage and thebearings, and a winding mechanism in driving lrelationship with theshaft, the driving connection of said mechanism on the shaft beingdisposed entirely within the housing and between said bearings; incombination therewith a linestorage spool supported on the portion ofthe shaft extending through the cage and outside of the housing, thespool having an annular recess concentric to said shaft and extendinginwardly from the end of the spool adjacent the housing., the )bearingof the inner member being disposed rentirely within said recess adjacentthe bottom thereof by an vaxially-protruding portion of the memberextending into the recess in concentric .spaced relationship, and freefrom contact, with the .shaf-t and the axially-protruding surface 4ofthe recess, the shaft having radiallyextending thrust-bearing surfacesin nxed relationship therewith for engaging opposite ends of the bearingof the inner member.

.5. In a casting ,reel comprising a base for securing the reel to acasting rod, an annular cage fipi'votably supported on the base andhaving anfopen end defined .by a split ring, the other end of the cagebeing enclosed by a `housing joined thereto, the housing comprising aninner member facing toward the cage and an outer member facing way fromthe cage, a bearing in each member disposed concentrically about theaxis inspaced relationship with the bearing of the other member, theshaft extending coaxially through the cage andthe bearing, areciprocable line-guide slidably supported by the cage for movement in adirection lengthwise thereof, a winding mechanism connected in ,drivingrelationship with the shaft, a reverse-screw mechanism for traversingthe guide connected in driving relationship with the winding mechanism,the driving `connections of said mechanisms and the shaft being disposedentirely within the housing and `between said bearings; 4in combinationtherewith, 'a line-storage spool supported on a portion ofthe shaftextending through the 4cage and `outside of the housing, the spoolhaving an annular recess concentric to said shaft and extending inwardlyfrom the end of the spool vadjacent the housing, the bearing of theinner member being disposed near the bottom of said recess by anaxially-,protruding portion of the member which extends into the recessin spaced relationship, and free from contact, with the shaft and at,close clearance with the axially-extending surfaces of the recess, saidshaft having 'thrustbearing elements fixed thereon for engagement withopposite ends of the bearing of the inner member, the elementwhich-engages the inner end of the bearing being ydisposed substantiallywithintsaid axially-protruding ymember portion.

6. A reel as defined in claim 5 comprising means for securing the innerthrust-bearing lele-- ment to the shaft, said means being removable:from the shaft in a radially outward direction .extending ,in radialalignment with an axiallyextending section `of said axially-protrudingbearing :supporting portion of the inner member, said axially-extendingsection having an aperture with respect to which the element securingmeans rotates into registry therewith for passage of said .means throughthe aperture.

rv7. In 1a casting reel comprising an annular cage having an open enddefined by a ring portion, a of said mechanism being disposed entirelywithin housing joined to the cage for enclosing the other the housing,said shaft being removable from the member facing into the cage and anouter mem" end ofthe cage upon disengagement of the means ber facingaway from the cage, a bearing in each for securing the element and theshaft membei disposed concentrically about the axis of 8. A reel asdefined in claim 7 wherein the the cage in spaced relationship with thebearmeans for securing the element to the shaft comwinding mechanism indriving relationship with 10 shaft, said axially-protruding portion ofthe inthe shaft; in combination therewith, a linener member having Varadially-extending aperstorage spool supported on a portion of the shaftture with respect to which the set screw rotates extending within thecage and outside of the into registry and is removable therethrough.

housing, the spool having an annular recess con- WILLIAM C. HANSE.centric to the shaft which extends inwardly from the end of the spooladjacent the housing, the References Cited in the file 0f this patentbear'lng thetadacntinnerfmcmber beinbg dis- UNITED STATES PATENTS pose aJacen e o om o e recess y an axially-protruding portion of the memberex- Number Name Date 892 tending into the recess in spaced concentricre- Bar Jan' 216 1903 lationship, and free from contact, with the shaftl '17140'84 e gli' m i914 and the axially-extending surface of therecess, 13 519 e s Mc 25 1920 the portion of the shaft which extendsinto the 11 Ruze ay 24 1936 housing having a diameter no greater thanthe 32255317 Mmer gaar 20 944 inner diameter of the bearing of the innermemf 138 Torrence une 19 9 ber, a, thrust-bearing element on the shaftfor 2'439298 Horan Apr' 6 l 4 engaging the inner end of the bearingdisposed FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 150,443 Great Britain Sept.6, 1920

